The Night Wild

by Zoë Tilley Poster (Author) Zoë Tilley Poster (Illustrator)

Reading Level: K − 1st Grade

A stunningly illustrated picture book debut about a dog's fantastical moonlit adventure and wild new friendship.

When Dog slips away from home at night, she finds an unexpected friend and an inner wildness. Together, Dog and Wolf explore the woods under the glow of the moonlight and sparkle of fireflies until the morning beckons Dog home.

Gorgeously illustrated, this is the perfect bedtime story and ultimate wish fulfillment for big dreamers and adventurers.

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$17.99

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Short, descriptive phrases capture the thrill of the adventure for Dog, pulling the reader into breathless excitement.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 1--A pet dog steps out from her home, joining the creatures of the forest for a romp in the moonlight. Meeting up with a wolf, her inner "wild one" is unleashed, and she frolics until the sun comes up. Poster's pencil illustrations are entirely in black and white, without a pop of color to be found. Through the soft drawings, she captures the illumination of the moonlight effectively, giving the animals a ghostly quality. Multiple spreads add to the cinematic storytelling. Though the animals' cavorting makes the story seem to be magical realism, the illustrations do not provide that same element. When the wolf and dog leap off a cliff, plummeting into a body of water, the word "SPLASH!" is used, but only a few droplets of water are shown instead of a more realistic spray of water. The repeated use of "WILD" in capitalized letters also emphasizes the dog's journey. There is an emphasis on sound words in the text, with Poster using onomatopoeia--"thump," "hush," and "pant"--to add to the overall mood. The poetic structure of Poster's writing and sentences broken up across several panels add to the effect. That pacing makes this an excellent read-aloud, perhaps for a pajamas story time. VERDICT Luminescent illustrations and dramatic storytelling turn one night of moonlit play into an exceptional story.--Jessica Ko, Los Angeles P.L.

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes



Zoë Tilley Poster
Zoë Tilley Poster is an illustrator who lives in Vermont with her husband and dog. The Night Wild is her debut picture book.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780525553786
Lexile Measure
500
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Dial Books
Publication date
July 19, 2022
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV002250 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Wolves & Coyotes
JUV002070 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Dogs
JUV010000 - Juvenile Fiction | Bedtime & Dreams
Library of Congress categories
-

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